But my keen knowledge of pop culture, as well as sharp memories of when Mama Bull used to let me stay up late on Saturday nights to watch Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, and ear-tuggin' Carol Burnett, I can definitely tell you that this comic story takes place on November 8, 1975! (I shouldn't be able to remember that, should I?)

Knowing what we now know about Bucky (to misquote Joe Quesada), does anybody else find that headline suspicious? I would assume that they would declare Bucky dead and Cap missing only if they found Bucky's body but not Cap's. But, of course, the Russkies got Bucky and took him away so that he might later cbecome the Heartthrob of Two Nations, The Winter Soldier (romantic sigh).

So: the Bugle was lying or misinformed. And who would misinform them? Could it be...sources deep within the United States Government itself?

Hmmmmmm!

Anyway, within a few weeks the US would "resurrect" both Cap and Bucky, and no one would ever be the wiser. Except those wily Russians! They didn't get Moose, but they sure captured Squirrel!

Panels from What If?(but considered an canonical story) (1977 series) #4 (August 1977), script by Roy Thomas, breakdowns by Frank Robbins, finishes by Frank Springer, colors by George Roussos, letters by John Costanza